When a user joins a conference such as an audio conference, the participant may only be able to hear when a participant joins the audio conference. Some audio applications include a visual interface that can show a roster of who is on the conference call. If a participant joins a conference after the conference has started, the participant is unaware of what events have occurred previously in the conference, such as if a specific topic was discussed or who exactly is on a conference call.
Video conference systems likewise have similar problems. Even though a display of each of the participants may be shown each individual participant in the conference, a participant that joins the conference after the conference has started will not know specific topics that have been discussed. The user may have to interrupt the conference to determine what was previously discussed. This can cause a disruption to the conference because discussion may have to be presented again to the participant that joined the conference late. What is needed is a user interface that provides a participant a running timeline of events that have occurred in a conference so that the use can easily ascertain what specific events have occurred during the course of the conference.